INTERNATIONAL EXPRESS APOSTILLE SERVICES 

What is an Apostille?

An Apostille is a form of authentication or legalization of a document for international use. It’s a certification that verifies the authenticity of a document issued in one country and confirms that it can be accepted as valid in another country that is a party to the Hague Apostille Convention. This convention, formally known as the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, simplifies the process of certifying documents for international use by establishing a standard form of authentication accepted by member countries. Essentially, an Apostille certifies the authenticity of the signature, seal, or stamp on a document, rather than the content of the document itself. It’s commonly used for documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, academic transcripts, and legal documents when they need to be presented in countries other than the one where they were issued.

What is the Hague Convention?

The Hague Apostille Convention, formerly known as the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalization for Foreign Public Documents, is an international treaty that simplifies the process of authenticating documents for international use. It was established in 1961 and has been ratified by many countries worldwide.

The main purpose of the Hague Apostille Convention is to eliminate the need for lengthy and costly document legalization processes, which typically involve multiple levels of certification by various authorities. Instead, it introduced the Apostille certificate, a standardized form of authentication that is accepted by all member countries.

Under the Hague Apostille Convention, a document that has been authenticated with an Apostille in one member country is recognized as valid in all other member countries. This simplifies the process of using documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, academic transcripts, and legal documents across international borders.

Notably, not all countries are members of the Hague Apostille Convention, so it’s essential to check the requirements of the specific country where the document will be used to ensure compliance with their authentication procedures.